Method of making resilient metallic bunches



Nov. 29, 1938. J. w. GOTTSCHALK 51" AL 2,138,787

METHOD OF MAKING RESILIENT METALLIC BUNCHES Filed April 29, 193.3

2 WINVENTOR I 'M %.M i

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE METHOD OFMAKING RESILIENT METALLIC BUNCHES Application April 29, 1933, Serial No.668,562

2 Claims.

The object of our present invention is to devise a novel method ofmaking a flexible and resilient metallic bunch from a coreless metallicstrand. having an inherent tendency to form a helical coil, and todevise a novel flexible and resilient metallic bunch which will maintainits bunch formation without necessitating the use of one or more tyingmembers, the bunch formation being maintained by the interlocking ofcoils of juxtaposed strands.

With the above and other objects in View as will hereinafter moreclearly appear, our invention comp-rehends a novel method of making aflexible and resilient metallic bunch.

' It further comprehends a. novel method of making a metallic bunchwherein a coreless metallic strand which has had imparted to it aninherent tendency to form a helical coil is wound around a core undersuflicient tension to separate successive coils of the strand from eachother so that the coils of one turn around the core will fit in betweenthe spaced coils of other turns around the core.

The wound strand may be removed from the core and the turns undertension contract so that successive coils of each turn will springtogether and hold in interlocking relation the coils of other turns thatmay be between them.

Other novel steps of the method will hereinafter clearly appear in thedetailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, we have shown in theaccompanying drawing a typical embodiment of it; but it is to beunderstood that the various instrumentalities employed in carrying outour method may vary widely in practice, and our invention is not limitedto the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein set forth.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, showing one manner of carrying out inpractice our novel method.

Figure 2 is a. detailed view on a much enlarged scale, showing thestrand as stretched and being wound under tension around a core.

Figure 3 shows in side elevation the strand on the core.

Figure l shows in side elevation a flexible and resilient metallicbunch, after removal from the core on which it was wound.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of two strand portions, on a muchenlarged scale, showing more particularly the manner in which the coilsinterlock.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the coiled strand with successive coilsnormally in contact.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:-

In Figure 1, we have illustrated diagrammatically one manner of makingthe bunch. The metallic strand may have any desired contour in crosssection.

The strand preferably consists of a metallic wire which has beensubjected to a flattening operation and subsequently to a coilingoperation.

As illustrated, the strand of wire passes from the spool I having atension device 2, between flattening rolls 3.

Ifthe wire has already been flattened, the upper roll or both rolls maybe removed.

The strand passes under tension from the flattening rolls, or from thespool in case the flattening rolls are not employed, around a rod 4 andover a curling edge 5 to the feed rolls t.

The operation thus far is similar to that disclosed in the SedgleyReissue Patent 18,576 of August 23, 1932.

One side of the strand is stretched as it passes over'the curling edgeso that if the strand passes freely from the feed rolls, the tension onthe strand, caused by the action of the feed rolls, would be releasedand the strand would assume the form of a continuous helical coil withsuccessive coils, closely adjacent each other.

In accordance with this invention, the tension of the strand is notwholly released, and the strand is wound under tension around arevolving core 1 with successive coils spaced apart.

The coils of one turn around the core will fit in between the spacedcoils of adjacent turns around the core as will be clearly understoodfrom Figures 2 and 5.

When the wound strand is removed from the core the turns under tensionwill contract so that successive coils of each turn will spring togetherand hold in interlocking relation the coils of other turns that may bebetween them.

The bunch thus formed can be readily grasped in the hand and used as an;abrading, cleaning or polishing device, or it may be secured in anydesired manner to a handle.

In order to bring out more clearly the manner in which the coils ofadjacent turns interlock, I

have shown the strand on a greatly enlarged scale in Figures 2, 5 and 6.8 designates the strand prior to flattening. 9 designates the flattenedstrand. l9 designates the coiled strand under tension, and the coiledstrand is shown at H, Figure 6, as it would appear if the tension wasreleased with successive coils which are normally in contact closetogether. [2 designates a stretched strand as it is being fed undertension and wound around a core.

In Figure 5, we have shown two interlocked strand portions, and, forconvenience, they are identified as strand l3 and strand l4.

The strand as it is fed to the core may be reciprocated by arecriprocatory guide I 5 or it may be guided to and fro by the hand ofthe operator.

One or more strands may be employed and wound around independent coresor the same core, as may be desired.

It will be apparent from the disclosure herein that the feed rolls 6serve as drawingrolls to drag the wire under tension over the curlingedge. The core 1 and the drawing rolls 6 are driven at such relativespeed as to partially release the wire tension between the rolls andcore to form coils that still have tension to keep them further apartthan they otherwise would be, and the coiled wire is wound in thiscondition.

If more than one strand is wound around the same core, they are wound upas a bunch of adjacent loops, and, due to the relative speed of thedrawing rolls and core, the wire tension between the rolls and core ispartially released to form coils that still have tension to keep themfarther apart than they would otherwise be after the curling edgeoperation. The coiled wires are wound in the same bunch under theseconditions, so that, when the bunch is taken from the core, they matmore firmly together.

As the strand accumulates on the core and the bunch increases indiameter, the tension on the strand increases.

When the bunch is removed from the core it contracts diametrically,andwhen a bunch as illustrated in Fig. 3 is withdrawn from the core thecore opening is closed as shown in Fig. 4.

In Figure l the stretched strand while being wound is guided by thehand, while in Figure 2 a mechanical guide is employed.

When a bunch is to be started the strand is wound once or more aroundthe core by hand.

The core feeding means operates in timed relation with the feed of thestrand through the machine.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of forming a flexible and resilient metallic bunch from acoreless, helical, me-

tallic strand whose successive coils are normally closely adjacent eachother which consists in winding the strand around a core with the strandunder sufficient tension to separate successive coils from each other sothat the coils of one turn around the core will fit in between thespaced coils of adjacent turns around the core with the tension of thestrand retained, imparting a reciprocatory movement to the strand as itpasses to said core, and removing the wound strand from the core topartially release the tension of the strand and allow the turns undertension to contract so that the successive coils of each turn willspring together and hold in interlocking relation the coils of otherturns that-are between them.

2. The method of forming a flexible and resilient metallic bunch from acoreless, helical, metallic strand whose. successive coils are normallyclosely adjacent each other which consists in winding the strand arounda core with the strand under sufiioient tension to separate successivecoils from each other, so that the coils of one turn around the corewill fit in between the spaced coils of adjacent turns around the core,with the tension of the strand retained, imparting a reciprocatorymovement to the strand as it passes to said core, and removing the woundstrand from the core to partially release the tension of the strand andallowing the turns under tension to contract so that the successivecoils of each turn will spring together and hold in interlockingrelation the coils of other turns that are between them, thecontraction. also causing the inner turns to close the core opening andinterlock and maintain the bunch formation.

JOHN W. GOTTSCHALK. SYLVESTER W. GRATER.

